


The Teen Years

by fandomgurl77



Series: Post-Movie Universe [4]
Category: Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, The Greatest Showman(2017)
Genre: Anger, Animals, Big Brother, Birthday, CarWheeler Baby - Freeform, Circus, Crush, F/M, First Time, Insults, Love Wins, Period-Typical Racism, Pregnancy, Sneaking Out, Telling Off, Toddler trouble, Wedding, Whoa!, Why Do I Even Bother?, Young Love, hooray!!, i can't believe it, i'm flabbergasted, i'm officially crazy, one-nighter, shouting, true love always prevails, well i'll be, yahoo!!, yay!!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-16
Updated: 2020-06-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 06:54:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,555
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24749446
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fandomgurl77/pseuds/fandomgurl77
Summary: Julian experiences his teen years in the circus.Rated M just in case - mainly for a brief mention of an underage sexual encounter.
Relationships: Julian(OC)/OC, Phillip Carlyle/Anne Wheeler
Series: Post-Movie Universe [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1718617
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

_It was a week after the birth of Ethel Ugabe-Carlyle on July 27 th 1884 and there were already challenges for Anne and Phillip regarding that afternoon’s show…_

‘Son’, Phillip said to Julian, ‘I’m putting you in charge of the show today.’

‘What?’ Julian asked.

‘Just remember all I’ve taught you out there’, Phillip replied, ‘You’re perfectly capable of handling this.’

‘But where will you guys be?’ Julian asked.

‘Me and Dad will be in here with Ethel for the duration of the show’, Anne replied.

‘Anyway, the show starts in five minutes, so you better go and get ready’, Phillip said.

‘Ok, Dad’, Julian said before he closed the door and headed up to his room to put his coat and hat on, ‘See you afterwards!’

‘I cannot believe that this will be the first show you’ve led on your own, Julian’, Lettie said as the stands started to fill up.

‘I know’, Julian said before he and the troupe moved into position for the opening act, ‘This is going to be a major step in earning my gold thread.’

**Forty-five exciting and action-filled minutes later…**

‘That was excellent, Julian!’ Lettie said after the show had finished and people vacated the stands, ‘You most certainly have your father’s confidence!’

‘Yes’, W.D said, ‘It’s an outstanding achievement, especially for a 12-year old, to not just speak in front of such a big crowd, but to run the show.’

‘Thanks, guys’, Julian said.

**Meanwhile, just outside the entrance…**

‘That was amazing, don’t you agree, Tabitha?’ her 16-year old half-sister, Didi, asked.

‘Yeah’, 19-year old Naomi said, ‘I’m totally flabbergasted at what I just witnessed.’

‘Couldn’t agree with you more, Naomi’, 9-year old Martha said, ‘I’ll definitely be coming again.’

‘Anyway, what about you, Tabitha?’ 22-year old Cindy asked, ‘Did you enjoy the show?’

‘Heck yes!’ Tabitha replied, ‘I’ve already seen it three times, and I’m definitely planning on continuing to attend!’

‘Yes, and I think I know why you enjoyed the show as well…’ Didi said.

‘Why is that?’ Tabitha said, ‘Give me one good reason why you think I enjoyed it.’

‘It’s because of the young ringmaster, isn’t it?’ Didi asked.

‘What?’ Tabitha said as her face turned red, ‘No way! I enjoyed all of the performer’s routines!’

‘Come on, Tabitha’, Naomi said, ‘We all noticed that you couldn’t keep your eyes off him.’

‘I was not!’ Tabitha said, ‘The sun was in my eyes every time I looked up, so I had to keep my head down!’

‘Tabitha!’ Julian shouted as he ran towards her, ‘I knew you would be back.’

‘Anyway, Tabitha, we’ll leave you to catch-up with your boyfriend’, Didi said while Naomi, Cindy and Martha giggled before they ran off, ‘See you later!’

‘ _Boyfriend_?’ Julian asked.

‘Just ignore them’, Tabitha replied, ‘They’re just convinced that I’m in love with you since I couldn’t stop watching you today. Anyway, how have things been for you?’

‘Great’, Julian said, ‘Speaking of that, you won’t believe what happened on Sunday.’

‘What happened on Sunday that I won’t believe?’ Tabitha asked.

‘My sister was born at 8:00 p.m.’, Julian replied, ‘Her name is Ethel.’

‘Really?’ Tabitha asked, ‘Can I go and see her?’

‘Sure’, Julian replied as they walked in through the entrance and up the hall, ‘She’s in Mum’s room.’

‘I heard the show went smoothly’, Phillip said when Julian opened the door.

‘Thanks, Dad, and yes, it all went to plan’, Julian said as Tabitha walked in, ‘By the way, this is Tabitha Hutchinson.’

‘Pleased to meet you’, Phillip said, ‘I’m Phillip Ugabe-Carlyle.’

‘And I’m Anne Ugabe-Carlyle’, Anne said while holding Ethel, ‘And this is our daughter and Julian’s sister, Ethel.’

‘She’s adorable’, Tabitha said when she looked at Ethel sleeping, ‘I have a sister as well…well, half-sister anyway.’

‘What sort of relation do you have to each other then?’ Phillip asked.

‘I and Didi share our father’, Tabitha replied, ‘She lives with him in a private flat on the top floor of The Grand Hotel, while I and my mother live in a two-storey villa on the other side of town.’

‘Well, I have five half-brothers in England who share my late mother, Lindsay, with me’, Phillip said, ‘Although, they now all live in their own places now and four of them have wives.’

‘Just like you took me as yours’, Anne said.

‘Yes, and I’m so glad I did’, Phillip said, ‘It was definitely the right decision, especially after Julian’s birth 12 years ago.’

‘Oh, I’ve just remembered that Mother will be in the park near the fountain in five minutes’, Tabitha said.

‘Ok then’, Phillip said, ‘Goodbye.’

‘Goodbye’, Tabitha said before she and Julian walked out and closed the door.

‘You have a unique family, Julian’, Tabitha said, ‘You and your mother are black, and your father and Ethel are white.’

‘Yes, I suppose it is unique in that sense’, Julian said as they walked through the entrance.

‘So, I guess I’ll see you later then’, Tabitha said.

‘See you later, Tabitha’, Julian said when he hugged her.’

‘I’m going to miss you’, Tabitha said before she kissed him, ‘I need to get going now.’

‘O…k??’ Julian said in a dreamy voice as she disappeared into the distance.

‘I think I’m in love!’ he thought before he ran back inside.


	2. Chapter 2

A few days later, Erica and Tabitha started their holiday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, which was, ironically, the next stop for the circus.

‘Mother’, Tabitha asked, ‘Why don’t we go to the circus again since we’re here?’

‘Ok’, Erica said, ‘Since you want to, we’ll go.’

‘Good’, Tabitha replied, ‘The next show is at 11:45 tomorrow morning, so we’ll have to be awake and ready to go by 11:05.’

However, during the show the next morning, something unexpected happened.

‘Ladies and gentlemen!’ Julian said while he stood in front of the middle ring while Jumbo and Alice entered via one of the side rings with their trainers, ‘I proudly present…’

Suddenly, the air filled with the faint sound of crying as Phillip ran into the room from the hall.

‘Julian’, he said, ‘You are needed up there now.’

‘But who will run the show?’ Julian asked.

‘I’ll take over until you return’, Phillip replied, ‘You just go up there.’

‘Ok’, Julian said before he ran up the hall and closed the door.

‘What do you need, Mum?’ he asked when he opened her door.

‘It’s Ethel’, Anne replied, ‘She was woken up by the sound of the elephants down there and needs comforting.’

‘Ok’, Julian said as he hanged his coat on the stand and took hold of Ethel.

‘Shhh, it’s okay’, he said while cradling her, ‘You’re perfectly safe in here.’

**Five minutes later…**

‘Thanks, son’, Anne said as she took a now calm and sleeping Ethel back, ‘You can go now.’

‘Thanks’, Julian said as he put his coat back on and opened the door, ‘I’ll tell Phillip.’

‘Right’, he said to Phillip, ‘Everything is back to normal.’

‘Thanks’, Phillip said before he returned up the hall and closed the door, ‘It’s all yours.’

**After the show…**

‘Tabitha’, Erica said as they walked with the crowd towards the exit, ‘I have a small parcel to pick up from the post office across the street and will meet you outside in a couple of minutes.’

‘Ok’, Tabitha said before she disappeared through the opening.

‘Surprise’, a familiar voice said as her shoulder was tapped, ‘Guess who?’

‘Julian!’ Tabitha said when she turned around, ‘We seem to keep meeting each other whenever there’s a show, as if we are each other’s destiny or something.’

‘Perhaps we are’, Julian said, ‘Anyway, we should move away from the entrance where your mother or anyone else can’t see us.’

‘Ok’, Tabitha said as they walked to the back left-hand side of the room.

‘Tabitha’, Julian said, ‘I want to tell you something that came around during our last encounter.’

‘What is it?’ Tabitha asked.

‘Ever since that day, I believe I…have, um…’ Julian said.

‘So, what is it?’ Tabitha asked.

‘I think I…may have…or have…fallen in, um, love with you’, Julian said.

‘You didn’t need to tell me that’, Tabitha said, ‘I could see it in your eyes.’

‘Well, now that’s out of the way, I was wondering…’ Julian began.

‘I love you too, Julian’, Tabitha said before they kissed.

‘You do know that this is illegal in the eyes of the law here, right?’ Julian asked.

‘Yes, I do’, Tabitha said as she leant back, ‘But who cares? As long as no-one from outside sees or gets to know, we’ll be fine.’


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter contains some simple Japanese phases withe bracketed English tranlations beside them.

_Three years later, on 25 th June 1887, the circus was on the way to the city of Norrisville in Pennsylvania._

‘One…two…three and…up we go’, 15-year old Julian said when he picked 2-year old Ethel up off the floor in the isle of the new sleeper car, ‘Let’s take you back to Mum’s room, Ethel.’

‘Let’s go!’ Ethel said as Julian opened the front door, closed it and walked across to the next car.

‘Look!’ Ethel said as they walked past a photo of P.T on one of the walls in the isle, ‘Barnum!’

‘Yes’, Julian said as they stopped in front of it, ‘That’s a photo of one of the co-owners of this place, P.T Barnum; Dad is the other one. I knew him as a child; he would have been astounded to know that you were born a couple of years ago and at the popularity of the show.’

‘Yes’, Ethel said just as Anne opened her door.

‘Thanks for bringing her back here, son’, she said as she took her from him.

‘No problem, Mum’, Julian said, ‘We’ll be in Norrisville tomorrow morning; I heard that the local culture is quite different to the rest of the country.’

‘Yes’, Anne said, ‘It is based on Japanese culture; the people there are very welcoming and polite.’

‘Anyway, I better go back to bed’, Julian said, ‘The sun is almost gone.’

‘Ok’, Anne said before she closed her door as the train pulled into a dead-end section of track for the night, ‘Goodnight.’

‘Goodnight’, Julian said.

‘Ah, it’s good to be in bed’, he thought when he closed his curtain just as it started raining outside, causing patterns on the window and a soft pitter-patter sound on the roof, ‘Time to say goodnight to the world.’

‘Right, Anne’, Phillip said when he opened her door as the train pulled in to the station the following morning, ‘We’re here in Norrisville.’

About time too’, Anne said, ‘That was a decent amount of rainfall last night, wasn’t it?’

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘I was woken up after a few hours by the sound of it on the roof.’

‘Anyway, let’s get out of here and help with unpacking and setting up for the show later tonight’, Anne said.

‘Right behind you’, Phillip said as they walked outside and down the steps onto the platform, ‘Good thing Pennsylvania never had an anti-miscegenation law, like New York.’

‘Ohayou gozaiimasu’, (Good morning) a woman said as she approached them, ‘Watashi wa Hitomi desu. Dozou yoroshiku.’ (My name is Hitomi. Pleased to meet you)

‘What?’ Anne asked in confusion.

‘Hitomi here wished us a good morning and is pleased to meet us’, Phillip replied, ‘I learned some basic Japanese when I bought that paper screen I have in my room here a few years ago.’

‘Oh’, Anne said before she faced Hitomi, ‘In that case, I’m Anne.’

‘I’m Phillip’, Phillip said.

‘I’m Julian’, Julian said when he and Ethel joined them on the platform, ‘And this is Ethel.’

‘Together we make up the Ugabe-Carlyle family’, they all said.

‘Aa, sou desu ka?’ (Really, is that so?) Hitomi asked, causing Julian to start giggling.

‘Julian!’ Phillip snapped while shaking his head disapprovingly as mysterious green smoke came out from under the train and towards him.

‘Sorry, Dad’, Julian said in response before the smoke disappeared.

‘Anyway, we have a show tonight at 8:40, if you would like to come’, Anne said.

‘Ok’, Hitomi said, ‘I’ll be there.’

Meanwhile, Julian was wondering about the weird green substance he had seen earlier coming out from under the train.

**Five hours later…**

‘So, how are you liking Norrisville so far?’ Phillip asked as he, Anne, Julian and Ethel were walking down Tokomune Street.

‘It’s good’, Julian said before he heard glass breaking and people screaming.

‘What’s going on?’ Phillip asked as Ethel began crying in fear before Anne picked her up.

Suddenly, a giant red earwig with yellow eyes began running towards them, before there was a shout of “Smokebomb!” accompanied by a puff of red smoke.

‘Goodness me!’ Phillip said, ‘It’s the Norrisville Ninja!’

‘Thank goodness you’re here, Ninja’, a man said from the door of a small shop, ‘She’s got herself stanked again.’

‘Right, Aoki’, the Ninja said, ‘Time to de-stank you…for the fourth time this week.’

‘Ninja Apple-grab!’ he said as he grabbed the apple that she was holding with his scarf, before slicing it in half with his sword, de-stanking the young woman in the process.

‘Thanks, Ninja’, she said in response.

‘All in a day’s work’, the Ninja said before he disappeared in a puff of red smoke.

‘There’, the man said, referring to the two halves of the apple, ‘Are you happy now, Aoki?’

‘Yes’, Aoki said when he gave her the cut-up apple, ‘But who will I share the other half with?’

‘How about I blindfold you and you can walk to the person who will share with you?’ the man asked.

‘Ok, grandpa’, Aoki replied as the blindfold was put over her eyes and tied up.

‘There’, the man said, ‘Off you go.’

‘So, what exactly is going on here?’ Julian asked.

‘It’s one of the many crazy things that happen in the city from time to time’, Phillip replied as Aoki began walking past onlookers in a random pattern, ‘She’s walking around whilst blindfolded and will stop in front of a random person in the crowd to give the other half of the apple to, after which she’ll remove the blindfold and greet them.’

‘Could it be any one of us?’ Julian asked.

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘I was given a small bag of marbles by a blindfolded man last time I was here.’

‘How strange’, Julian thought as Aoki walked towards Phillip, but made a quick left turn and stopped in front of him and gave him one of the halves of the apple.

‘Greetings’, she said as she took the blindfold off, ‘My name’s Aoki. What’s yours?’

‘Uh…’ Julian said, being absolutely dumbfounded by her beauty, ‘I…I’m Julian. P…pleased to meet you, Aoki.’

‘That’s a nice name’, Aoki said before she walked away, ‘Be seeing you around, Julian.’

**After the crowd had dispersed…**

‘Son?’ Anne said while he stood staring up the street with his pupils dilated, ‘How’s about getting something for lunch?’

‘She…she’s…beautiful…’ Julian said in a trance-like state.

‘Julian!’ Phillip said, ‘Do you want to come with us for lunch or not?’

‘Oh’, Julian said when he snapped out of the trance, ‘Yes, I would love to.’

‘Let’s go then’, Phillip said as the four of them continued walking up the road, while Julian ate the piece of apple.

‘I sure hope she’s at the show tonight’, he thought, ‘Even the apple tasted sweeter than any others I’ve had in my life.’


	4. Chapter 4

‘That was the most delicious sushi I’ve ever had!’ Julian said half an hour later in the sushi bar.

‘Glad you liked it, son’, Anne said, ‘Especially considering that it was your first try.’

‘Not to mention you refused to eat it as a child due to the seaweed on the outside’, Phillip said.

‘I know’, Julian said, ‘But that was over a decade ago.’

‘Anyway, we have to go back to the tent to help set up for tonight’s show’, Phillip said when he stood up.

**At 8:39 that evening...**

‘Congratulations for getting your left sleeve embroidered with gold thread after the last show’, Lettie said.

‘Thanks, Lettie’, Julian said as he and the troupe moved into position.

**Forty-five minutes later...**

‘Well done, Julian’, Phillip said when he walked into the middle ring after the audience had left, ‘Did you see us sitting in the front row?’

‘Yes’, Julian said, ‘I saw Ethel wave at me while the lions were half-way through their performance. I also saw Aoki sitting in the back row.’

**Three years later...**

‘Happy 18th birthday, Julian’, Phillip said on the morning of 17th March 1890, ‘I’ve got a surprise for you in my room.’

‘Ok’, Julian said as they walked up the hall and opened Phillip’s door, where there was a white sheet covering the coat-stand in the corner.

‘What’s this?’ Julian asked.

‘Go on, son’, Phillip replied, ‘Take the sheet off.’

‘Ok’, Julian said as he walked over and uncovered the stand, revealing that his coat now had gold thread on both sleeves and the front and the black and gold baton leaning against the base.

‘You will now be the main ringmaster permanently’, Phillip said.

‘Thanks, Dad’, Julian said, ‘What are you going to do?’

‘I’m going to retire and watch future shows from the stands’, Phillip said, ‘Just like W.D has retired as of last week.’

‘Yes’, Julian said, ‘Everyone’s getting older and closer to retiring, while I’m just beginning.’

‘Speaking of that’, Phillip said, ‘We’ve got a new trapeze artist to take W.D’s place starting with the next show; her name is Elsie.’

‘Ok’, Julian said, ‘Has she met the rest of the troupe?’

‘Yes’, Phillip said, ‘She’s been introduced to everyone except you.’

‘I better go and introduce myself then’, Julian said as he opened the door, revealing Elsie on the other side.

‘Good morning’, she said to him, ‘Who are you?’

‘I’m Phillip and Anne’s son, Julian Ugabe-Carlyle, and I’m the ringmaster’, Julian said.

‘I’m Elsie, the new trapeze artist’, Elsie said, ‘Pleased to meet you.’

**Later that day…**

‘Thanks’, Julian said as a vendor at a small stand in the local market gave him a sausage roll in a paper bag before he walked away, ‘Goodbye.’

‘That was delicious!’ he thought as he dropped the empty paper bag into the bin beside the bench he was sitting at.

However, when he returned to the bench, he saw a familiar young woman sitting at the far end with a small child on her lap.

‘Aoki?’ he asked, ‘Is that you?’


	5. Chapter 5

‘Julian?’ Aoki replied when she turned to face him, ‘Oh my goodness, it is you!’

‘How have things been going over these last few years?’ Julian said as he sat down.

‘Very good’, Aoki replied, ‘However, I was forced to drop out of high school a couple of years back so I could raise Jemima here.’

‘Who’s Jemima?’ Julian asked, ‘Is she the child sitting on your lap?’

‘Yes’, Aoki replied, ‘And she’s not just any child either.’

‘What do you mean?’ Julian asked.

‘She’s our daughter’, Aoki replied.

‘What??’ Julian asked in a shocked voice, ‘How can this be?’

‘Remember that night after your first show in Norrisville when we met up after dark in a secluded area of the park?’ Aoki asked.

‘Ah, yes’, Julian said, ‘That was a wonderful night, wasn’t it?’

‘Well, I’ve got another boyfriend now, and we’re set to be married within the next two years’, Aoki said, ‘He doesn’t even know that you’re Jemima’s father.’

‘I can’t believe that she’s a third white, a third black and a third Japanese’, Julian said.

‘Julian!’ Tabitha said as she ran up to him, ‘You’ve finally got your gold thread after all of these years.’

‘Not to mention that I’m the main ringmaster now’, Julian said, ‘Anyway, how’s life been for you?’

‘Well’, Tabitha said, ‘My parents have been trying to introduce me to many different young men, in the hopes I’ll marry one of them; however, there’s only one man for me...’

‘Who is that?’ Julian asked.

‘You’, Tabitha replied before she kissed him.

‘Glad you think that’, Julian said, ‘Because you’re the only woman for me. Oh, and I have a friend outside for you to meet.’

‘Ok’, Tabitha said as they ran outside the tent, only to be greeted by Aoki and Jemima.

‘Greetings’, Tabitha said, ‘I’m Tabitha Hutchinson. Who are you?’

‘I’m Aoki’, Aoki said, ‘And this is my 2-year old daughter, Jemima.’

‘Pleased to meet you both’, Tabitha said.

‘Speaking of that, there is something I want, or should I say, have to, tell you’, Julian said.

‘What is that?’ Tabitha asked.

‘Well, the truth is…I’m Jemima’s father’, Julian admitted.

‘What??’ Tabitha said in shock, ‘I cannot believe this!’

‘It happened in Norrisville, Pennsylvania when I was 15’, Julian said, ‘We met up one warm night in the park and…well, everything else followed; it’s only now that I realise how foolish it was not to wait for you, although I’m happy that Jemima was born as a result, of course.’

‘While I do agree that it was a foolish decision, the truth is that we all make mistakes’, Tabitha said, ‘And I forgive you 100%.’

‘Thanks, Tabitha’, Julian said, ‘I knew you would.’

‘I and Mum heard everything from inside’, Phillip and Anne said as they walked towards them, ‘The truth, Julian, is that you were born before we got married, too.’

‘Really?’ Julian asked, ‘How long beforehand?’

‘Approximately three years’, Phillip replied.

‘Anyway, where’s Ethel?’ Julian asked.

‘She’s inside playing with Lettie’, Anne said, ‘She’s quite the energetic 4-year old.’


	6. Chapter 6

_Four years later…_

‘What the…?’ Tabitha said in shock as she watched it approach her.

‘Tabitha!’’ Julian shouted from atop Alice as the huge elephant slowly made her way down the street, causing passers-by to stop and stare in amazement, including Tabitha’s parents, ‘I’ve got something to ask you!’

‘What is it?’ Tabitha asked.

‘Tabitha Hutchinson’, Julian said as he jumped to the ground and gave her a small open box that contained a silver ring inside, ‘Will you marry me?’

‘Oh, my goodness’, Tabitha sobbed, ‘Yes!’

However, just as she was about to put the ring on, Erica and her father, Anthony, stopped her.

‘How could you do this to us?’ Anthony said as he pulled her away, causing her to drop the box, ‘We thought you knew better!’

‘What are you talking about?’ Tabitha said, ‘And you’re pulling my hair out of shape!’

‘We’re going home right now, dear’, Erica replied, ‘Away from these prying eyes, and not to mention, _him_!’

**At Hutchinson Villa…**

‘This is crazy’, Tabitha said as she, Erica and Anthony walked into the living room, ‘You ruined the best day of my young life!’

‘Do you need reminding again?’ Erica said, ‘I said when you first met in the park twelve years ago that he was to **never** come near you again!’

‘You guys don’t understand!’ Tabitha said, ‘We love each other!’

‘Over my dead body!’ Anthony shouted, ‘There’s no way that I’m going to allow my youngest daughter to marry a circus ringmaster!’

‘Seriously, Father’, Tabitha said, ‘You know absolutely **nothing** about him! I doubt you’ve been to the circus even _once_!’

‘Well, yes, I have, and do you know what I thought?’ Anthony said, ‘It was the worst, cheapest garbage that I’ve **ever** seen, and it was all started by an infamous conman!’

‘Well’, Tabitha said, ‘I never saw you in the audience at **any** of the shows I and Mother attended!’

‘Hm…perhaps that’s because it was the day **after** the one you attended twelve years ago in this town!’ Anthony said, ‘And I only went because Didi wanted to go as well.’

‘Besides, there are tons of proper, wealthy young men out there who are better suited to you than some good-for-nothing sp…’ Erica began.

‘Do my ears deceive me!?’ Tabitha asked in shock upon hearing the five-letter “s” word.

‘Your mother speaks the truth, Tabitha’, Anthony began, ‘I won’t have my daughter be around a n…’

‘You have **no** right to speak about him like that!’ Tabitha shouted before she walked through the open door and slammed it shut, causing a large plate that was sitting on a nearby shelf to fall to the floor and shatter, ‘I’m leaving!’

‘You’re paying for that, Tabitha!’ Erica shouted through the door.

‘Oh yeah?’ Tabitha asked, ‘And what with?’

‘Don’t be smart to your mother!’ Erica replied, ‘As for payment, hm…that silver ring would be perfect for trading for a replacement!’

**Five minutes later…**

‘Julian!’ Tabitha shouted as she ran up to him, ‘I’m back.’

‘What was that all about?’ Julian asked.

‘It’s just that my parents don’t approve of us being together’, Tabitha replied, ‘I also can’t believe that they have such racist views regarding you in terms of what they said.’

‘What did they say?’ Julian asked.

‘Well, Mother said a certain word starting with “sp” and Father said he doesn’t want me to “be around a ‘n-word.’”’

‘It’s just like what my parents went through every day in public’, Julian said, ‘Society said they couldn’t be together, but they defied it anyway.’

‘I suppose we could do that too’, Tabitha said, ‘As in, defying what they and society says and…rewrite the stars, I guess.’

‘You know, that reminds me of the first song that my parents sang together one night before a fire destroyed the original circus building in 1870’, Julian said.

‘Anyway’, Tabitha said, ‘We’ve got a plate to repair back home, so let’s go.’

‘How did it break?’ Julian asked.

‘It fell off a shelf beside the living room door when I slammed it and came here after my parents said those things I described earlier. Mother wants me to buy a replacement by trading the silver ring you gave me earlier today for cash, but I believe it can be repaired.’


	7. Epilogue

‘That was a great service, wasn’t it?’ Phillip said as he, Anne, Ethel, Julian and Tabitha sat around a circular table covered with a white tablecloth, ‘I can’t believe that our son is finally married!’

‘I know’, Anne said, ‘It probably won’t be long until he and Tabitha have children of their own.’

‘By the way’, Ethel said, ‘The cake was delicious!’

‘Not to mention you were an excellent flower girl today’, Phillip said.

**Two months later…**

‘I’ve got an idea for the next show after the off-season period ends’, Julian said.

‘What is it, son?’ Anne asked.

‘Remember all the times that you and W.D were my trapeze tutors?’ Julian asked.

‘Yes’, Anne replied, ‘Why?’

‘Well, I was thinking, rather than walking into my usual place in front of the middle ring to introduce the opening act, I could fly in on one of the ropes or bars or descend from one of the hoops’, Julian said.

‘You know’, Anne said, ‘That idea sounds like…an excellent plan, like something that P.T would have thought of.’

‘Not to mention I’ll be the world’s first “flying” ringmaster as well’, Julian said, ‘Oh, and I have something to tell you to tell everyone else.’

‘What’s that?’ Anne asked.

‘The doctor confirmed yesterday that Tabitha’s pregnant with twins…’ Julian replied.


End file.
